The relationship that Prim had once known with Katniss had been steadily eroding ever since the announcement for the Quarter Quell. After the Reaping, the only bright side that Prim had found in her selection was that she was there with Katniss, she could still be with her older sister and spend a little more time with her before everything came to an end, but her assumption hadn't been the case. There had been a lot going on with all of them, but it was glaringly clear that Prim wasn't cut out for anything—not dressing up for the social events, not preparing herself for the Games and especially not training for them. The worst part was that everyone, including Gale, was expecting to have to carry her through it and Prim had half a mind to tell everyone to let her die. It was rare that the small blonde got angry, but Haymitch's comments and Katniss siding with him had just about sent her over the edge.

When Katniss crouched down beside her, Prim didn't respond. In her eyes, Katniss was just trying to make her feel better because there were no examples of these allegedly amazing things that she was capable of doing. No one seemed to understand that running and lifting weights had been her trying, and that was the most she had been able to accomplish when she saw all of it as pointless because she was nothing next to her competition. As Katniss hugged her and gave her a kiss, Prim stiffened and remained that way as Gale came into the room as well. She continued to look out the window, feeling a lump in her throat that would surely expose more of her weakness if she were to try and engage in any type of conversation.

All around her, she blocked out everything else, and was only prompted to move when she heard Gale speaking directly to her. “What?” she asked, her lack of attention due to her focusing on not crying or yelling. She got up, though and went into the dining room where she took a seat next to Gale since Katniss was currently in her favorite spot; up Haymitch's ass.

Food wasn't appealing, but Prim took a plate of salad anyway, figuring that was all she could have since everyone else thought she hadn't done anything that day. Although she was angry and ready to explode, she did notice that Peeta wasn't there and wondered where he had gone off to. She found herself to be envious of the baker, because she didn't want to be at the table either. It was then that Prim realized something; she didn't have to be. No one was keeping her there, and there was no rule that said she had to be social and eat with people she currently wanted to smack.

“May I be excused?” she asked, looking specifically to Effie. Had she been less angry, Prim would have felt bad about ignoring Gale's excitement, or noticed the strange way Katniss blushed when Cinna had been mentioned. 

Effie paused, a look of concern on her face. “Well, I don't see why not, but you really sh--”

“Thanks,” Prim said, cutting the escort off as she got to her feet. “Goodnight.” 

As Prim left the room, Haymitch continued to eat. There was no sense in anyone going after her, and he trusted that she was mature enough to sort it out herself and calm down enough to be approached later on. In a way, her lack of motivation reminded him of Maysilee. While he and the other three tributes of the first Quarter Quell had dove headfirst into training and getting familiar with a weapon, Maysilee had opted for more of the mental puzzles and stations that built survival skills, which in the end had left her saddled with that blow gun that had ultimately cost her life. Knowing that, Haymitch didn't want to see the same thing happen to Prim, especially not when so much was on the line. Later, after dinner, he would go and talk with her, still a mentor at heart. 

“Did Peeta say what time he would be back?” Haymitch asked, taking another forkful of crisp, green salad. He was hungry from a long day, and although he hadn't been all that productive during the morning, he had done quite a bit of work with the ax. 

Effie blinked, obviously still in shock that Prim, the sister with manners, had gotten up to leave so quickly. “I don't know. He left just before you four came back up here,” she explained. “I asked him if it could wait until [i]after[/i] dinner, but he said it was important.”

To Haymitch, that sounded like Peeta had a plan. “Then it probably was,” he agreed. He pushed his now empty salad plate aside and took a main course from the spread that had been laid out. Pasta still didn't seem like a very good choice for dinner, but Haymitch had some anyway but made sure to put more meat on his plate. Although he had been eating better since Katniss had won the year before, the food in 12 wasn't anything compared to what the Capitol offered. They really liked to nourish the tributes, make sure they were healthy-looking before they were sent off to die.

Next, Haymitch looked to Gale. “I saw you with that sword today. You looked good,” he praised. “I just hope you'll be able to use it if someone comes for you.” The former Victor remembered an impressive boy from 10 who had blown everyone away during training, only to freeze up in the arena. He had been the first to die, proving that a high score from the Gamemakers meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. 

“And you,” he said to Katniss. “Are you planning on reminding everyone that you're an archer anytime soon?” Because that was important too, and if her fight hadn't shown the others that Katniss wasn't a joke, then her shooting was sure to.